This is the story of Lily, a 12-year-old girl with Williams Syndrome (WS). A reading program was developed to meet Lily's specific reading needs while addressing her individual learning style; this includes attending to the unique characteristics of Williams Syndrome. During this school year, Lily showed significant gains in sight word recognition…

This ethnographic study examined Chinese-speaking parents of children with disabilities: awareness of their legal rights, their perceived barriers to being joint decision makers, and the type of supports and services they would like to receive from schools. Results suggested that Chinese-speaking parents were knowledgeable about their legal…

In Ohio, a food service program is partnering with a national restaurant chain to help students with learning disabilities transition from school to work. The Greene County Career Center in Xenia, Ohio, has a food service program satisfying the appetites of visitors, students and staff, as well as meeting the training goals of students with…

The purpose of this investigation was to understand the variables that influence parents' perceptions of the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment (WAA). Parents and teachers of elementary and secondary students with severe cognitive disabilities (n = 77) from across Wisconsin participated. Teachers submitted case materials that included a copy of the…

This paper describes the successful implementation of an inclusion program which placed students with mild disabilities in regular education classes in a rural Louisiana school system. A unique quality of this program is that it utilized only existing staff. Advantages and disadvantages of such a program and the seven-step program development and…

This report compares and contrasts special education and least restrictive environment requirements for children with disabilities in Nigeria and the United States. The implementation of special education policies in both countries is discussed, including policies in the following areas: referral and identification, nondiscriminatory assessment,…

The Individualized Vocabulary Instruction (IVI) program is a self-contained, individualized computer program that has been used to provide vocabulary instruction to disabled students at California's Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) since 1987. The IVI program is divided into two main word groups, called modules, with each module containing 1,125…

This policy manual presents the state of Nebraska's regulations and standards for special education programs that are effective April 23, 1996. The regulations include a declaration of responsibility, provide the statutory authority, and address the following areas: (1) definitions of disabilities and other relevant terms; (2) responsibility for…

Inclusive education reflects the changing culture of contemporary schools with emphasis on active learning, authentic assessment practices, applied curriculum, multi-level instructional approaches, and increased attention to diverse student needs and individualization. This guide is intended to help teachers implement inclusive educational…

The U.S. Civil Rights Commission has undertaken the Equal Educational Opportunity Project to develop a series of six reports focusing on the opportunities available to students in American public elementary and secondary education. This first volume in the series evaluates and analyzes the history, performance, regulations, policies, and…

With funding from a National Workplace Literacy grant, Little Hoop Community College in Fort Totten, North Dakota, conducted a combined literacy and career counseling program for members of the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe. During the project period, 86 participants completed individual education plans appropriate to their personal work objectives and…

This guide provides precise, detailed descriptions of empirically validated best practices to promote learning in infants and young children with disabilities. It is designed to be a practical and comprehensive, easy-to-read introductory methods text that addresses the fundamental issues associated with implementing the legislative mandates of the…

This guide for New York City parents of preschool children (ages 3 to 4) with possible disabilities is intended to provide necessary information about legal rights as well as a description of the evaluation and placement processes. Specifically addressed are the following topics: the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE); timing of…

This paper provides guidelines for conducting a functional behavioral assessment and developing positive behavior intervention plans with students who have behavior disorders or other disabilities in the context of requirements of the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). After an introduction, rights and…

The newsletter presents six articles and associated information concerned with assistive technology for children and youth with handicaps. "Technology: Becoming an Informed Consumer" (Elizabeth Lahm and Sue Elting) reviews the history of technology with emphasis on assistive technology, offers case studies on technology applications, and gives…